A broken toe is a common injury, especially in the little toe (fifth toe) which is more prone to tripping and breaking. While fractures of the big toe usually require a cast or splint to heal properly, a broken little toe is usually treated with a technique called “buddy tape” that can be done at home. However, if the broken little toe is very crooked, flat, or there is bone penetrating the skin, the injury should be treated immediately.
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Part 1 of 2: Bandaging a Broken Toe
Step 1. Make sure the injured finger can be bandaged
Most fractures in the toes, including the little finger, are hairline or stress fractures, which are small cracks on the surface of the bone. Stress fractures are usually very painful and accompanied by swelling and/or bruising in the lower leg. However, these fractures do not cause the bone to bend, crumble, scab, or stick out of the skin. Therefore, simple Harline or stress fractures should be treated with dressings, and more complex fractures should be treated with other medical procedures, such as surgery, casts or splinting.
- See a doctor to have your leg scanned for X-rays if the pain doesn't improve after a few days. Stress fractures can be difficult to see on an X-ray if there is a lot of swelling.
- If there is a lot of swelling, the doctor may suggest a bone scan to identify a stress fracture.
- Stress fractures in the little finger can occur with strenuous exercise (e.g. lots of jogging or aerobics), improper exercise technique in the gym, trauma from tripping or crushing your toes, and severe ankle sprains.
Step 2. Clean your feet and toes
Whenever you're dealing with a bodily injury using a backing tape, it's a good idea to clean the area to be bandaged first. This will keep the injured area free of bacteria and other microorganisms that can cause infection (e.g. fungus), as well as any dirt and debris that could prevent the tape from sticking properly to the toe. Generally, you can use regular shampoo and warm water to clean your soles and toes
- If you really want to sanitize your soles/toes and remove most of the natural oils, use an alcohol-based gel or lotion.
- Make sure the soles and toes are completely dry before applying the tape or gauze.
Step 3. Insert the gauze or felt between the toes
After determining the injured toe, the first step in applying the buddy tape treatment is to place gauze, felt, or cotton wool between the ring toe and little toe. This is done to prevent skin irritation and blisters because the two fingers will be bandaged together. By preventing the appearance of skin irritation / blisters, the risk of infection is also prevented.
- Use enough gauze, felt, or cotton between the ring finger and little finger so that it doesn't come off easily before gluing with the plaster.
- If your skin is sensitive to the medical tape (characterized by irritation and itching due to the adhesive tape), wrap the gauze until it completely covers the ring and little fingers and cover the skin of the finger as much as possible before applying the tape.
Step 4. Wrap the ring finger and little toe together with the tape
After inserting sterile gauze, felt, or cotton between the ring finger and little toe, wrap the fingers together with a medical or surgical tape designed to adhere to the skin. This is the buddy tape technique because you're essentially using your ring toe as a splint to support, stabilize, and protect your broken little toe. Wrap from the base of the toe to about 0.5 cm from the tip of the toe. Wrap the tape twice using two separate strips so it's not too tight.
- If the bandage is wrapped too tightly, the blood flow will be cut off and the fingertips will turn a purplish-blue color. Your toes will also feel numb or tingling if the tape is wrapped too tightly.
- Reduced blood flow to the legs will also slow down the healing process. So, make sure the buddy tape is wrapped tightly, but not too tight so that blood can still flow normally.
- If you don't have a medical or surgical patch (available over-the-counter at pharmacies), feel free to use duct tape, cable tape, or a small/narrow Velcro bandage.
- Most (simple) stress fractures take 4 weeks to heal properly. So, plan your buddy tape well during this time.
Step 5. Change the plaster and gauze every day
Buddy tape is done by wrapping two fingers together to support and heal the injured finger, and this process is continuous. If you shower every day, the plaster should also be changed daily because wet plaster is not effective in preventing blisters and water will dissolve the adhesive in the plaster. Therefore, the plaster needs to be changed after bathing and a new gauze or cotton swab needs to be applied after cleaning and drying the toe.
- If you shower every day, that means you can delay a day to reapply buddy tape, unless your feet are wet from something else, like rain or flooding.
- If you're using a waterproof medical/surgical patch, you probably won't need to change it often, but whenever the gauze/cotton between your fingers gets wet (or even damp), it's a good idea to replace it.
- Don't forget not to apply too much tape (even if it's a little loose) because you won't be able to fit your foot into the shoe well. Plaster that is too much also triggers heat and excessive sweating.
Part 2 of 2: Using Home Treatment Techniques for Broken Toes
Step 1. Apply ice/cold therapy
Before you even see a doctor to confirm a stress fracture in the little toe, it's best to apply ice/cold therapy to all musculoskeletal injuries to reduce inflammation and pain. Wrap an ice cube in a light towel (so as not to cause frostbite) or pack a frozen gel on the front of your foot. You can also use small bag size frozen vegetables.
- Do not apply ice or frozen gel packs to the skin for more than 20 minutes at a time on the lateral (outer) side of your foot. Use cold therapy 3-5 times a day for several days post-injury.
- Wrap an ice pack or gel pack around the front of the foot with an elastic bandage for best results as compression also helps reduce swelling.
Step 2. Elevate your legs to reduce inflammation
While you are applying cold therapy to the lateral side of the lower leg to relieve swelling, it is best to elevate your leg. By elevating your leg, you reduce blood flow, which will minimize inflammation during an injury. For best results, cradle the foot whenever possible (before, during, and after application of ice therapy) so that it is above the level of the heart.
- If you're lying on the couch, use an armrest or a few pillows to raise your legs above your heart.
- When you lie in bed, use a pillow, folded blanket, or foam roller to support your feet above your heart.
- Always elevate your legs together so you don't cause irritation or pain in your pelvis, waist and/or lower back.
Step 3. Reduce walking, running, and other exercises
An important element in home care is rest and relaxation. In fact, resting the foot by removing weight from the injured foot is the primary treatment and is highly recommended for all stress fracture injuries of the foot. Therefore, avoid activities that trigger the injury and all activities that put strain on the lateral part of the foot (walking, climbing, jogging) for 3-4 weeks.
- You can still cycle for exercise and fitness if you can position the pedals close to your heels and away from your toes.
- Swimming is an exercise that does not burden the feet so it is suitable for people with broken toes if the swelling and pain has subsided. Don't forget to reapply your bandage afterwards.
Step 4. Take commercial drugs for the short term
A broken toe, even if it's just a hairline fracture or stress, still hurts and managing this pain is an important part of the healing process. Therefore, commercial drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or pain relievers, such as acetaminophen. To reduce the chance of side effects, such as stomach irritation, take this medication for less than 2 weeks daily. For the simplest fractures, 3-5 days of medication should suffice.
- NSAID drugs include ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin. These medications are suitable for bone fractures because they help reduce swelling, as opposed to pain relievers.
- Aspirin should not be given to children, while ibuprofen should not be given to infants. Give acetaminophen if the child needs pain medication.
Tips
- If you visit your doctor for an X-ray and confirm that you have a stress fracture in your little finger, your doctor will show you how to apply buddy tape before you leave the clinic.
- Buddy tape should not be applied to people with advanced diabetes or peripheral arterial disorders because the reduced blood flow due to plastering can increase the risk of necrosis or dead tissue.
- While you're bandaging and restoring your little toe, wear stiff-soled shoes for added space and protection. Do not wear sandals and running shoes for at least 4 weeks.
- As your symptoms subside after about a week, your doctor may take another X-ray of your foot to see if the leg bones are healing.
- Simple bone fractures take 4-6 weeks to heal, depending on a person's level of health and age.
- Once the pain and swelling has subsided (after about 1-2 weeks) gradually increase your ability to bear weight by standing or walking a little each day.
